Gorilla habituation experience is one of the most powerful and enriching primate adventures awaiting you to enjoy in the jungles of East Africa and it happens in Bwindi Impenetrable national park in Uganda, Volcanoes national park in Rwanda and in Mgahinga gorilla national park. Unlike the normal gorilla treks, embarking on gorilla habituation allows you to spend more hours with a group of mountain gorillas.
During gorilla habituation experience, visits are done to only the semi-habituated gorillas or complete wild gorilla group a group that has never been habituated. This makes it an unusual experience from the normal treks which introduce you to already habituated gorilla families.
Mountain gorillas are a few special creatures worth interacting with in their natural habitat. These unique apes survive within only the rainforest of Uganda, D.R. Congo and Rwanda. Fewer than 1063 mountain gorillas still live on earth and over half of them exist in Uganda. The only way to see these apes is by embarking on either gorilla trekking or gorilla habituation.
Getting the best gorilla habituation experience, where to go?
Mountain gorilla habituation experience is only offered in Rushaga region in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Rushaga region is found in the Southern side of Bwindi and is known to have the largest number of habituated gorilla groups including Rwigi, Mucunguzi, Kahungye, Bikingi, Busingye, Nshongi, Bweza, Mishaya, and Kutu, etc.
What is a typical day of a gorilla habituation like?
On actual gorilla habituation, visitors are allocated to a semi habituated gorilla group in Rushaga and a maximum of 4 guests are allowed to go explore it. The day begins with briefing on gorilla habituation guidelines, then allocation of gorilla group and scouts/trackers.
You will leave Rushaga early on half day or full day search for the family of mountain gorillas. Unlike the normal gorilla treks, mountain gorilla habituation allows you to spend up to 4 hours face-to-face with a family of mountain gorillas in the wild.
The entire day with mountain gorillas involve following these apes while observing their long day activities from sunrise till sunset. There are a range of activities performed by mountain gorillas worth exploring from feeding habits -get to know what they feed on, mating, how they socialize and in the evening, watch how they make nests for a night stay.
Gorilla habituation is a slow and gentle process by which a group of wild gorillas are introduced to human presence. The process is a step by step exercise and done by a group of trackers, researchers and other conservationists. Before a group of mountain gorillas is officially opened to human presence, it undergoes through habituation process of about 2-3 years although some take shorter time depending on how quick they adapt to human presence.
Embarking on mountain gorilla habituation experience is remarkably one way in which you as a person can support the efforts to have these apes conserved. It is an enriching experience and allows you enjoy a close encounter with a group of massive mountain gorillas in their natural habitat.
Gorilla trekking Vs mountain gorilla habituation
Mountain gorilla habituation and gorilla trekking all offer an ideal group for you to explore the unique mountain gorillas in their natural habitat. But what differentiates the two is the fact that normal gorilla treks are done across all the 5 parks –Volcanoes National Park, Bwindi, Mgahinga, Virunga National Park and Kahuzi-Biega National Park (known for only Eastern lowland gorillas). Gorilla habituation experience is only offered in Rushaga region of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest Park.
Mountain gorilla habituation experience is done by a maximum of 4 guests per gorilla group and normal gorilla treks are done by 8 visitors per habituated gorilla group.
On normal gorilla trekking, you have only an hour to be gorillas and during gorilla habituation experience, visitors enjoy up to 4 hours with a family of massive mountain gorillas.
Gorilla permits
Gorilla habituation permits are issued at USD 1500 per person for foreign non-residents, USD 1000 for the foreign residents while Shs750,000 applies to all Ugandans and East Africa citizens.
Obtaining your gorilla habituation permit and booking the entire trip is possible through the reliable tour operator in Uganda. Permits should be booked early and do not wait till the actual day of visiting Bwindi for actual gorilla habituation experience. A gorilla habituation permit can be booked by persons above 15 years.
When to travel for gorilla habituation
Gorilla habituation experience is possible to be enjoyed at any time of the year. But the most preferred time is around the dry season or months of the year that is June, July, August, September, December, January to February.
What to pack for your gorilla habituation holiday
Packing well for your gorilla habituation is essential and some of the items worth considering include sturdy and waterproof hiking or trekking boots (they should offer good support on the ankles when trekking through the forest and steep slopes), at least 2 bottle of drinking water, a daypack, long-sleeved shirts, a sweater, a rain jacket, gardening gloves, a pair of socks, a good camera with non-flashlight, first aid kit, insect repellents, and more.
Places to stay
On gorilla habituation experience, the ideal places for a night stay should be those inside or around Rushaga area. The top accommodation options at Rushaga include Volcanoes Bwindi Lodge, Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Camp, Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge, Rushaga Gorilla Havens Lodge, Gorilla Safari Lodge, Chameleon Hill Lodge, Lake Mulehe Gorilla Lodge, Gorilla Leisure Lodge, Nshongi Camp, Rushaga Gorilla Camp, Gorilla Valley Lodge to mention but a few.
How to reach the park
By road; Set off from Entebbe city or Kampala capital to Rushaga which is approximately 8-9 hours’ drive in a 4×4 safari vehicle with an experienced driver guide in Uganda. Still, you can drive from Kigali city, cross Katuna/Cyanika border to Rushaga sector in Bwindi National Park, about 4-5 hours’ drive.
By air: Take a flight from Entebbe Airport up to Kihihi/Kisoro airstrip and be transferred by road up to Rushaga region.
In summary, gorilla habituation experience is an unusual primate adventure you shouldn’t miss on Uganda safari. Visitors can even combine normal gorilla treks and gorilla habituation in Rushaga region in Bwindi.
